Clever (and BEAUTIFULLY drawn, Abby!), but isn't there a HUGE difference between being happy and simply having your face frozen in an idiot grin?

"I'm devastated, to the extent that's an emotion that's separate from happiness!"

I don't see how that line makes sense, even in the context of the joke.

Maybe I'm overthinking this (okay, I'm DEFINITELY overthinking this), but wouldn't it be more reasonable, and perhaps even funnier, if the protagonist was simply unable to think of anything unhappy? He loves the bright, gay color of the crime scene tape, is gladdened that neighbors are taking such an interest in his house, is cheered by the fact that his wife will not suffer from her wounds or struggle with old age. His wish-dictated myopia would progressively worsen as his circumstances deteriorate, until at last there are absolutely no happy thoughts available to him—except, of course, for the one in Zach's punchline.

Maybe something like, "The symmetry of those iron bars is so oddly satisfying!"

However, I will note that if you changed it to him simply finding everything that happens amusing or even funny, but not exclusionarily to other emotions, you have an interesting new origin story for The Joker from Batman. And since it's DC, something that insane could be entirely canonical without even hinting at a violation of in-universe rules.

"I want the power to walk on water"
"as you..."
"wait, and turn it into wine!"
"as..."
"shh! and I want to heal people"
"..."
"up to and including bringing them back from the dead"
"...?"
"."
"As you wish, but... you know what? People will betray and kill you."
"Let me finish! Including myself."
"Argh, fine! But everyone you bring back from the dead is yanked right up into the celestial spheres 40 days later."
"wat"
"No backsies!"

Tony wrote:Clever (and BEAUTIFULLY drawn, Abby!), but isn't there a HUGE difference between being happy and simply having your face frozen in an idiot grin?

"I'm devastated, to the extent that's an emotion that's separate from happiness!"

I don't see how that line makes sense, even in the context of the joke.

Emotions are multidimensional and multifaceted. People can experience more than one at a time (e.g. happy and sad), and people can experience elements of an emotion without really feeling the whole thing (e.g. nervous, but not quite afraid; hostile, but not quite angry).

I love the "devastated" line because it highlights this. The character can feel happiness alongside (parts of) other emotions, like some components of devastation. It's a beautiful part of the human experience, and a clever way to deliver the "careful what you wish for" genie trope. I feel like making the character utterly, exclusively happy would throw that nuance and that humour out.

I do like your idea that "his wish-dictated myopia would progressively worsen as his circumstances deteriorate, until at last there are absolutely no happy thoughts available to him," though. It's interesting to think that someone who can only feel pleasure and produce happy thoughts would think and feel nothing in an utterly dreadful circumstance.